Toney Aldarella
World War I
Toney Aldarella was one of those World War I veterans that I found when I turned to the Memorial Day program list of departed Legion members, instead of the first list I started with a short list in the Osmond Centennial Book.
Although his name was spelled “Tony” in the Memorial Day program, every record I found, including his WWI draft registration with his signature and his other military paperwork, has his name spelled “Toney.”
Not much is known about Toney. According to his brief obituary in the Scottsbluff Daily Star-Herald and his military records, he was born in the De Coste province in Italy on June 24, 1889.
At some point, he immigrated to the United States. On his World War I registration card, signed in June 1917, he states that he is a farm laborer working for Adolph Nissen at Osmond.
He was enlisted on Sept. 5, 1917, and was sent to Camp Funston, from where he wrote to Osmond Republican editor Elmer Record in October.
Part of his letter read: “We are drilling every day and getting along fast.
Will soon be ready to lick the Germans. We like it find down here. It is a good place for any man. We are all getting fat down here. We get good feed, and a good bed, shower baths, and will soon have steam heat in our barracks. We had a b ig speech given us by Maj. General Wood, commanding officer of Camp Funston, and also one from a Frenchman from France. The Frenchman thought we were doing fine, and told us to learn as fast as we could, and when we got over to France they would teach us what they knew. He said Germany wouldn’t last long when we got there. We get a pass whenever we want one, and go any place we want. Some say they don’t like it, but they are sympathizers. Your friend, Toney Aldarella. P.S. Your brother is here in the same company and we get along fine. I'll send my picture the next letter I write.” [Sure wish I had that picture!] According to his headstone, he served in Company A, 4th Infantry, 3rd Division. According to information I found on Wikipedia, the Fourth Infantry disembarked at Brest, France in 1918 and participated in the defensive actions of Aisne, Château-Thierry, Second Battle of the Marne, and in the Third Battle of the Aisne, Saint-Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne offensives under the command of Colonel Halstead Dorey. The entire regiment was decorated with the French Croix de Guerre, having lost eighty percent of its men, under constant and grueling fire during 30 days on the line; the regiment was relieved by the 60th Infantry. After the armistice, the 4th Infantry served as part of the Army of Occupation in France, until 1919. I found a record of Toney on an Army transport ship that left Brest, France on Aug. 13, 1919, and arrived in the United States on Aug. 23, 1919.
An interesting fact on that record is that he listed his mother, Mary Aldarella, as his contact person. Osmond is listed as an address, but I’m not sure if that was her address or his; however, I couldn't find any record of a Mary Aldarella living in the United States.
I had a hard time finding a record of Tony Aldarella after his service, except for a report in the Scottsbluff city council minutes in 1936 where he entered an application for license to sell meat and meat products in the city. His obituary, also in the Scottsbluff newspaper, says that he had been a groceryman there for many years.
Tony was found dead at his grocery store on June 21, 1951, and apparently died in his sleep of natural causes at age 61. The obituary stated that he had no known relatives in this country.
Toney was one of the charter members of American Legion Post 326, but I found no record of when he left this area and moved to Scottsbluff.
He is buried in Fairview Cemetery in Scottsbluff.
Doughboys of the 4th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division, arriving at Brest, France, April 18, 1918. It is entirely possible that Toney Aldarella could be pictured here.
